Deep well tool



|. THOMAS DEEP WELL TOOL Feb. 20, 1940.

Filed May 5, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 20, 1940.

l. THOMAS DEEP WELL TOOL Filed May 5, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm Jdh/amFeb. 20, 1940. l, THQMAS 2,191,000

DEEP WELL TOOL Filed May a, 1937 s sneets sheet 3 M Feb. 20, 1940uNl'rED I S- {PATENT ornea s 2,101,000 I s near we; 'roor. Idrls Thomas,Whittier; cam. Application May's, 1037, Serial No. is', 4s1

. This invention relates to deep well inventionmay be embodied inspearsandsockets, or other tools for making aconnection'to'tubing or casingwithin a well for backing-oil opera- 6 tions, or other operations. Asordinarily constructed, tools of this type include movable slips whichare set against the tubing by pulling up on the tool string, and thenwhile the tool string and "flsh are subjected to an up strain,the toolit 1 string is rotated to back of! the fish. This operation has theobjection that on accountof the severe strain or, stress to which the"fish" is subjected, very high frictional resistance is developed at thethreads where the "fish" hep-- is formed with circumferentially spacedcam faces, and after the slips have'been set by 8. 2o slight up pull,the-slips arecausedto grip the "fish" by a rotation of the tool stringon its axis.

This latter type of tool gives considerable satisfaction, but inrotating thetool string in the 0 reverse direction to releasethe slips,it the slips do not release readily there is a tendency for the torquein the tool string to start theleft-hand 0 threads to unscrew at someone of the tool joints in the tool string. This would make it orimpossible torelease the slipsr One of the objects 01 thepresentinvention is to provide a'flshing tool'ior backing oi! tubing orcasing, which'will overcome the objections referred to above, and inwhich it is unnecessary to subject the tool string to a severe up strainwhile backing oif'the tubing orcasing; also, to construct the tool insuch a way that when thereis substantially little or noup strain on thetool string, the slips can be readily released by a rotation in the samedirection that gripped the slips, on the tool, and which will requirethe development of only a relatively low torque in the tool string. Inother words, the release of the tool would be attained by a rotationnotin a direction tojunscrew any of the joints of the tool string. g

In connection with deep wells, it is sometimes necessary to determinewith definite accuracy thedepth or level of a cementing point that hasoccurred previously at some level below the surface. In order todetermine cement level in a well, it has been the practlce' to employ atool of the type of a spearp'rovlded with slips. By gripping the slipsin the casing at different levels, and vibrating the tool string or thecasing at the v well head, it is possible to ascertain the cement s 0 lam gm. 04-04) The level, by reason of the fact that when the tool isgripped in the casing at the cement, thecement will deaden or reduce thevibrations transmitted back to the well head. One of the objects of myinventionis to provide a well testing tool particularly adapted for suchuse in determining the level of a cemented point in a well.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. l

. The invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts tobedesc ribed hereinafter,

all ot which contribute to produce an eiiicient deep well tool, r

A preferred embodimentoi the invention is described lnthe followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings;

.Fig. 1 isa side elevation and partial section of .a fishing tool ofspeartype, embodying my invention. I'his view shows a portion of thetubing or, "iish and illustrates the parts with the slips set againstthe "flsh preparatory to backing it off. This view also shows the lowerend of the drill string broken away.

'Fig. 2 is a .view very similar to Fig. 1, but showing the slipsin theirreleasedposition, and further illustrating the means employed forreleasing the slips. 3 This view shows the parts in the relation theyhave when the slips have been cammed" upon the, mandrel to release thempreparatoryto withdrawing the tool.

20. his cross-se'ctlonon theline Zw-Ia Fig.2... C

Fig.3 is a horizontal section taken through the spear and the nslfonthe'line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but upon an enlarged scale. This view shows thetool after, the rotation that causes slips to grip the casing. l

Fig. 4 is also a cross-section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1, but showingthe tool after the slips have been set against the casing by a slight uppull of the tool string.

Fig. 5, is a cross-section on the line 55 of r Fig. 2, showing therelation .ofthe parts after the socket type. This view shows a portionof tubing in the tool, and broken away, and illustrates the slips intheir gripping position against the fish.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken about on' the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

construction of a tester tool for connecting to a casingin determiningthe level of cement by the vibration method referred to above. This viewshows the tool gripping the casing, a portion of 1 v tool string towhich the actuating member in which is illustrated in cross-section.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to 'Fig. 9, but showing the tool released andready to be withdrawn.

Figflll is a cross-section on the line ll-Hof Fig. 10 upon an enlargedscale.

Fig. 12 is a section on theline l2-l2 of Fig. 9, showing the slips set.a Y I Fig. 13 is a section at the same point as Fig. 12, but after therotation of the mandrel has gripped the slips on the casing.

' the present specification. I have described my* Fig. 14 is a viewyofthe testerassembled on the end of the drill stem. g

Before proceedingto a more detailed description of the invention, itshould be stated that in improvements as applied to a tool of the speartype, and a tool of the socket type. Inboth of these types I prefer toprovide a slip carrier or cage which carries the slips, so that t eyhave a limited radially guided movement. ut the use of a cage is notessential, and in a type of spear to test for cement levels, I' haveillustrated a construction not using a cage for'the slips. In thefishing tool of'eith'er type, the construction. includes an elongatedactuating member. The slips and the actuating member have engaginginclined seat faces approximately conical in form, cooperating insuch away that ii a relative downward movement of the'slips occur with respectto the actuating member, the slips will set themselves against the faceof the fish.

tiallyaround the axis of the tool, they do not maintain aconstantdistancefromthe axis of the tool; and. in the preferred form thecross section of the actuatingmember at each seat face will present aplurality of slightly'projecting "peaks" or high points that functionlike cam faces. face recedes, or is relieved in a radial direction sothat the effect. of dips is attained located between the peaks or highpoints. .Inthe preferred construction I provide three rises" or highpoints located apart. w th the dive or "low points of the cross-sectionlocated midway between the high points or peaks of the cams. I

After the slips have been set against the fish by a slight relativeupward movement or upreferred to above. that each slip 5 presents aplurality of inclined Although the inclined seat faces. of the actuatingmember extend circumferen-- Between these high points the seat anyone Iactuating member and the move the. slips to their completely releasedposition.

The construction of the cement level testing tool is very similar to thespear, but inverted so that the cone necks of the mandrel have theirslips is utilized to large ends up instead of down. This gives the slipsan inclined downward thrust against the casing that is favorable forimparting vibrations to the casing through the tool string.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and

especially to the spear type of tool illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, Iindicates the lower end of the the form of a mandrel 2 is secured at thelower endof the tool string by asuitable tool joint 3.

The mandrel .2 is preferably of the stepped wedge being' of steppedwedge-form with the small ends of the .wedges disposed downwardly. Thecross-section of the mandrel at the seat faces is'geomet'ricallyspeaking a triangle, the I sides of which are curved lines and theangles of I which (formed by the intersection of the curved sides) arevery obtuse, that form the peaks In this way it will b81868!)-substantially conical seat faces] to engage the corresponding seat faces4 of the actuating member, or mandrel 2. The slips arepreferably threearound the axis of the tool,- and these slips are preferably carried ona slip carrier, or in a cage 1 of tubular form, and having radial slots8 (see Figs. 3 and 4), that guide the slips in their radial movements.The upper end of the cage 1 isprovided with a cap in the form of acollar 9 that is attached to the cage 1 by a screw thread Ill. The upperend of this cage cap may limit the upward movement of'the cage bystriking against a shoulder H at the underside of the tool joint 3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, which illustrates the slips in theirreleased position, it should be stated chat I form the mandrel with acrosssection so that three high spots orpeaks 12 are formed located 120apart with relieved faces or dips I3 located between the same. The facesof the dips preferably merge into the faces of the peaks (see Figs.3-5). In the released position of the slips shown in Fig. 5, these highpoints, or peaks I! of the cams, are located somewhere near the adjacentside edges of theslips. In operation the slips should be set against theface of the fish as illustrated in Fig. 1, by giving a slight up strainto the tool string I, and it will be evident that a rotation ofthe toolstring I will cause the cam peaks I! to move around toward the centerlines of the slips, and this will force the slips outwardly and griptheir wickers It, or other engaging means, against the face of the fish.The faces 4 of the 'mandrel and the corresponding faces 4a are struck ona gradually changing radius that is slightly greater than onehalf theouter diameter of the cone at any point in its length. And these faceslie against each other in the accurately collapsed condition of thetool.

The tool string should, to grip, be rotated in the same direction thatwould unscrew the fish; and in this connection it will be evident thatthe greater the torque required to unscrew the fish," the greater theforce will be with which the cam in number, disposed120" apartcircumferentially o,1o1,oco faces or peaks i2 force'the slips againstthe face I I ofthe"ilsh." a I a If, or when, it becomes necessarytorelease theslips from the fish" this is accomplished by eifecting arelative rotation between the mandrel g and the slip carrier, or cage"Inwhile the tool is not under an up strain. Any suitable means may beemployed for thispurpose, but I preferto employthe means illustrated inFigs. 1 and.2, which has been used heretofore for releasing theslips intools of thisgeneral type. .In order to accomplish this, I provide thelower end of the cage .wlthan inclined or helical cam face it, and atfaces is illustrated at a time when the slips are "set against the fishpreparatory to gripping I the same. At this time thesecam faces l6 andcollar l8 carried by the lower'end of the mandrel,

the lower end of the. mandrelI provide a similar inclined orcam face l"|to engage and cooperate with the face I5; I In Fig. 1, the relationofthese I! will have been slightly separated: by the up pull that setsthe slips.

The cam face I! is preferably formed on a and having an angular opening.l9 within it that fits over an angular shank 20 on the mandrel at thispoint. This angular shank and angular opening l9 effectively mount. thecollar l8 so that it is non-rotatable with respect to i the mandrel, andso that when the mandrel is rotated,these cam faces I5 and I1 willcausethe cageto rise to a relativelyelevated position on the mandrel,thereby,sliding the slips 5 up on the stepped seat faces 4. Thiscausesthe slips to release themselves by reason .of the frictionalcontact of the usual long friction springs" 2| that are secured to thecage at the three intermediate points between the adjacent edges of theslips, and engaging. with the casing. The lower end of the spear maybeformed by a bowl 22 secured to it by a thread 23, and a set screw 24that engages into a groove 25 to prevent 1 any possibility of the bowlbecoming unscrewed. I This bowl, of course, retainsthe collar II on. the

mandrel, and the collar 18 in turnretains the cage I. I

In order to limit the rotary movement of the mandrel with respect to thecage I, I provide the lower end of the cage with a circumferential,

of tubular or shell-form, the upper end of which is supported by a sub29,with threads 29a to enable the same tomake a tool joint connection tothe tool string. .The inner face of this socket is formed withaplurality of stepped inclined seat faces that cooperate with threeslips 30, said slips being of wedge-form with the small ends of thewedges downward, and each slip presenting in? clined seat faces 3| toengage with and cooperate with the inclined seat faces 28a of thesocket.

As illustrated in Fig.8, the cross-sectionof the socket does not presenta uniform thickness, but itpresents three cam faces 32 where thethickness of the wall has its maximum. In other words, the curve-sidedtriangle formed by the cams32 has peaks that approach toward the axis ofthe tool, and relief faces or dips33located be- In principle the tooloperates in the same way as the spear, already tween the cams or peaks.

described; that is to say, by subjecting thetool iii H string to aslight 1155mm. the Wlckers 34 of the slips on be set against the faceo'i'the "fish" 35 (see Fig. 7).;TIThis, of course, is done while thedips Q33,are located adjacent thecentral axes of the slips, and henceafter the slips have been set, aslight rotation pfthe socket will causecam faces 32 toshovethe slips inwardly in their guide slots 36, andgrips them flrmly against the fish." The direction of rotation to gripthe slips would, of course, bethe directionwhich will unscrew the fishand back it ofl.

In order to enable the slips .30 to be released when desired a helicalcam face 31 is provided 'atthe lower end of the slip carrier or cage 38,

and this cam face 31 cooperates with a similar camface 39 that is formedon a shoulder .40 that projects .inwardly at the lower end of thesocket.

After forming the helical engaging faces 3? and 39, notches 42 are cutin them so as to mm for the cage and slips. These shouldered? pre ventany possibility of using too great a. rota tion to kick. the slips up,and make it unnecessary to use a stoplsuch as, stop 26 in Fig. 6.

A stop should be provided on the cage or on the slips to preventmouse-trapping" the tool over a collar on the casing. For this purposethe slips 30 are preferably provided with flanges 44 that projectinwardly attheir upper ends to engage the upper. end of the fish (seeFig. 7).

The lower end of the socket may-be provided with .a shoe 4'5 attached toit by .ascrew thread 46. This shoe may have the usual helical or inclined guide face 41 that assists in guiding the a shoe over the upper.end of the ".flsh.

The tools can be constructed so asto operate very accurately on apredetermined slight up strain, to grip the slips; and so that with anyless up strain, the slips will immediately release when therotationvoccursthat is intended to kick: upthe slips at the helical camsto release them? A tester tool 48 embodying this invention isillustrated in Fig. 14. This tool has'a head 48 secured to the drillstring 50, said head being rigid with an actuating part in the form of amandrel including a round. stem or shank 5i terminating below in aseries of steps or cones 52 with their large ends uppermost. The lowerend of the head 49 has a helical cam face 53 to cooperate with asimilarcam face 54 on the upper end of a loose sleeve 55, said sleevehaving friction springs 56 for engaging the casing 57, and the lowerend. of this sleeve supports the upper ends of the slips 58 on loose pinand slot [connections 59. On similar pin and slot connections G0 thelower ends of the slips support a collar 6| guided on a neck 62 ofreduced diameterbelow the "cones and which carries the bowl 63.

, .Theslips are tapered to' correspond with the taper of the cones. andthese parts are formed and correlated on their cooperating seat faces inthe way set. forth in describing the spear disclosed in Figs; 1 and 2. Akey 64, and cooperat ing stop65 on: the sleeve 55, limit the relativerotation of the sleeve and mandrel. This test ing tool is run down thecasing with the cam faces 53and 54 ridden up on each other somewhat asshown in Fig. 10. This holds the slips 5! down on the cones (see Fig.10) and pre vents the slips from being set against the casing 51. Afterthe tool is at the level where it is to grip the casing, the tool stringis then rotated duce stop shoulders .43 that will engage with each otherat the limit of the rotary lifting movement tit? ' slight upper pull totake the weight off the slips, j

the casing 51. These wickers or teeth 68 preferably incline downwardlyas shown. .A slight rotation of the tool string 50 in a right-handdirection would cause the slips to grip the casing with great force byreason of the fact that the '7 peaks 6! of the cam faces 68, moveinto-contact f with the inner faces of the slips (see Fig. 13). Theslips can be released from the casing by a accompanied by a left-handrotation of the tool string 50 m bring the parts into substantially therelation shown in Fig. 1-0. When the helical cams 53 and 54 have'thisrelation, the slips 58 'will be held down on the cones" 52, which keepsthem in a collapsed condition enabling the i tation of thetool string 50with weight on it.

tool to be withdrawn.

In Fig. 14 this tool is indicated gripped in the casing at an elevatedpoint above the cement 69. '.In using this tool to test a well todetermine the level of the cement 69, the tool would be gripped in thecasing at a succession oi'points extending progressively down throughthe well,

and during each gripping operation the tool string 50 would be vibratedand the consequent In the spear illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it

should be understood thatthe. spear would be lowered into'the casing Iwhile in the collapsed condition illustrated in Flg.'2,'and with thehelical cam IS in the relation'indicated in Fig. 2. When the tool hasbeen lowered to the" desired level in contact with the fish or casingH,- the tool string I would be rotated in a left-hand direction, whichwould permit the cage or sllpcarrier 9 to move relatively downwardly onthe man-' drel, and permit the wickers l5 to touch the casing I4. Then aslight upward. pull on the tool string would set the slips firmlyagainst the casing, after which a further rotation of the tool string ina left-hand direction would bring the peaks of the cam-form cones morenearly under the medial axes of the-slips as indicated in Fig. 3,

V which would force the same outwardly against the casing l4, and acontinue-d rotation in a-lefthand direction will cause the tool tounscrew the fish. If it should be necessary at any time to release thetool from the fish within the .well,

or when releasing the tool from the fish after pulling the same from thewell, this would be accomplished by reducing the up strain on thetool'string so that there is substantially no upward pull on the slips,whereupon a slight rotation of the tool string in a right-hand directionthrough the agency of the helical surface l6 will push the slips up onthe-mandrel and release them.

' In the socket type of tool illustrated in Figs.

7 and 8, substantially the same procedure is had, i

it. being understood that the slips are in an elevated position when thesocket is run down the well. After having positioned the tool over theupwardly projecting end of the fish an upstrain on the tool string willset the slips 30 against the fish, whereupon a rotation of the toolstring in a left-hand direction will cause the withdrawn.

cam faces on the inner slde'of the shell of the socket to force theslips II inwardly and grip the fish. The tool can be released byrelieving the up strain and rotating the tool string further in aleft-hand direction, which will cause'the helical faces "and 391m engageand push the slips up toan elevated position and disengage them from thefish. 1

In operating the testing tool shown'in Figs. 9 and 10, the tool is rundown the wellwith the helical cams 51 and 54 in the relation shown inFig. 10. This holds the slips collapsed, and after the tool has arrivedat the level where it is to grip the'ca'sing, a right-hand rotation ofthe tool willbring the cam surfaces 53 and 54 more or less into therelation shown in Fig. 9, which will per-.

mit the mandreltomove down relatively to the slips. Such a down movementwould set the slips against the casing, after which a slight rowillcause the camfacesof the cones 52 to move the slips out to grip themon-the casing. The

release of the slips will be accomplishedby a rotation in the samedirection with substantially no down pressure on the slips. This,throughthe agency of the helical faces. and 54, will move the siips downinto the relation shown in Fig. 10, collapsing the tool, and'permlttlngit to be n is understood that the embodiment of the many embodimentsthis invention may take, and I do not wish to'be limited in the practiceof r the invention, .nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment setforth.

What I claim is::

1. In a fishing tool, the combination of a slip-carrier, a plurality ofslips carried thereby, said slips having wedge-formportions of reducedthe cam faces; the faces .of said dips and peaks merging into eachother, and operating when 80 invention; described herein is only oneofthe g the actuating member is rotated in one'direction after setting theslips, to grip the slips on the fish, said slip'carrie'r having a can!face adjacent its lower end, and a collar carried by the lower end ofthe actuating member having acam face to cooperate with the last-namedcam face,

and inclined in a direction enabling the same to cooperate when theactuating member is rotated in the same direction'as before withsubstantially no up strain, to raise the slip-carrier relative totheactuating member and thereby release the slips from the ffish.

2. In a deep well tool for gripping tubing in the well, the combinationof a plurality of slips, said slips having wedge-form portions ofreduced thickness. toward one end with longitudinally inclined seatfaces on one face and faces on their opposite sides for gripping thetubing, an elongated actuating member to be attached to a tool string,having a plurality 'of longitudinally inclined circumferential seatfaces for engaging the seat faces of the slips and operating byltuovement in one direction to set the slips against the tubing, saidcircumferential seat faces having having a substantially helical camface and a collar carried by the actuating member having a substantiallyhe.ical cam face, said helical cam faces inclined so that they willcooperate when the actuating member is rotated in the same direction asbefore with substantially no pressure exerted on the slips, to cause arelative longitudinal movement between the slips and the actuatingmember, and thereby release the slips from the tubing.

ii. in a deep well toolfor gripping tubing in well, the combination of aplurality of slips, slips having wedge-form portions of reduced lull, astoward one end with longitudinally incleared seat faces on one face andfaces on their its sides for gripping the tubing, an elonactuatingmember to be attached to a tool Wig, having a longitudinally taperedcrossctinn presenting a plurality of curved cam with peaks and dips oneach side of each call: merging into the same for engaging the "es ofthe slips and operating by a rotation in the tool in one direction whilethe tool is lecterl to a longitudinal strain to set the slips ainst thetubing and cause the same to forcibly grip the tubing; and means movingwith the actuating member and brought into action by rotation of theactuating member in the same direction as before when there issubstantially no longitudinal strain on the tool, for effecting thesliding of the slips longitudinally relative to the actuating member,and thereby effecting the release of the slips from the tubing. r

In a fishing tool for backing oif tubing connected by threaded joints,the combination of a slip carrier, a plurality of slips carried thereby,said slips having wedge-form portions of reduced thickness toward theirlower ends with longitudinally inclined seat faces on one face and meansontheir opposite faces for gripping the tubing, an elongated actuatingmember to be attached to a tool string, said actuating member having across-section presenting curved camform side faces the middle portionsof which constitute dips of the cams, said side faces intersecting eachother to form cam peaks, and forming seat faces for the slips inclinedlongitudinally of the actuating member, said actuating member operatingby a movement in one direction to set the slips against the tubing, andoperating when the actuating member is rotated after setting the slips,to grip the slips on the tubing; and correlated engaging means on theactuating member and on the slip carrier brought into engagement witheach other by the rotation of the actuating member in the same directionas before when v there is substantially no strain, to raise the slipcarrier relative to the actuating member, and thereby release the slipsfrom the tubing.

5. In a fishing tool of the socket type, the combination of a cage forcarrying slips, a plurality of slips carried thereby, said slips havingwedge-form portions of reduced thickness toa ward their lower ends withlongitudinally inclined seat faces on their outer sides, and means ontheir inner faces for gripping the fish, a sleeve-form socket to beattached to a tool string,

having a plurality of longitudinally inclined annular seat faces forengaging the seat faces of the slips, and operating by an upward pull toset the slips against the outer side of the fish, said socket having across-section at its inner wall presenting cam-form side facesintersectlng each other to form campeaks approaching the longitudinalaxis of the socket, said curved faces forming seat faces inclinedlongitudinally of the socket to enable the said upward pull to set theslips against the outer side of the fish, and operating when the socketis rotated after setting the slips, to grip the slips on the fish, andcorrelated engaging means on the socket and on the cage having engagingfaces inclined so that when the socket is rotated in the same directionas before with substantially no up-strain, said correlating engagingmeans will raise the cage relative to the socket and thereby release theslip from the fish.

6. A fishing tool for actuating slips to back off tubing connected bythreaded joints, having an actuator for the slips with a cross-sectionpresenting a plurality of circumferentially disposed curved cam faceswith peaks, and dips on each side of each peak merging into the same.

IDRIS THOMAS.

